Western
by nefertiri-oconnell
Summary: this is an AU story set in the Wild West. Its the adventures of Kathyn, an upper class woman running away from her home and Chakotay a tribal leader whose life has been shattered by the coming of the white folk.


"We shall be arriving in Sandrock in twenty minutes Ladies and Gentlemen. Please be ready to dismount."  
  
The train conductor came around and looked at the passengers. He loved this job. He got to meet some many interesting people. Today was no exception. A group of young ladies and embarked at the main Ohio station. On introduction he discovered that were to be part of a new Charlie House that was being set up in Sandrock. A new chain of restaurants.  
  
Then there were the typical cowboys, the gents and ladies out for their holiday trips to the wild west but the one that really struck him was the young lady who had boarded the train at the Ohio stop as well but was separate from the group of girls. A real pretty girl this one. He'd seen a lot of pretty girls in his time but this one had class as well. She just seemed to stand out from the crowd. As he walked down the train he noticed a lot of the other men had been looking in her direction during the ride but she was completely oblivious. The girl kept looking at her handbag and smiling.  
  
Kathryn sat and looked around the train car, this was it. She was on her way. A better life waited for her at the end of the line. With a grin she opened her handbag and took out the neatly stacked letters tied together with red silk. Only the best for her future husband. Butterflies invaded her tummy. Boy was she nervous. For the past year, she had been corresponding with his man. His letters were beautiful poetic, intelligent. The man had such handsome handwriting. Curved with a slight lean to the right. Having never met this man Kathryn had formed an imaginary vision in her mind about him. Tall, dark and handsome! She let out an involuntary giggle.  
  
Kathryn looked around at the train car. Thankfully it looked like no one had heard. It was not very lady like, but then she was never one to do as she was supposed to and the picture she had of him in her mind was one of a Greek god, much more than a man. She looked at the group of girls who had boarded the train with her. Oh how refined they look, with their pretty dresses and the styled hair. They talked to each other with such dignity and although she couldn't hear what they were saying she was sure it was something worldly and intelligent. She could only hope to be like that.  
  
Kathryn let out a sigh. She watched the scenery fly past the window, she couldn't believe that she had actually done it. Left the confines of her mother and father, and that overbearing pompous man Mark Johnson. Her parents had actually wanted her to marry him, Her marry Mark, she thought not.  
  
Kathryn had always been wary of him, ever since they were children and he used to follow her wherever she went. Of course she had tolerated him. Kathryn was never one to intentionally hurt another's feelings. The real problems had started when Justin, one of the town's newest deputies had begun courting her. She had notice that mark had taken to waiting outside her house, on the porch for her to return from seeing the gentlemen. Justin had been killed in a freak accident when his gun backfired during a routine training session. Kathryn had never been able to prove it but she was sure mark was involved. During her mourning mark had taken it upon himself to become her shoulder to cry on and on her grieving state Kathryn had accepted. He parents took this as a sign of interest on her part and happily encouraged mark to pursue their oldest daughter. Her father even went as far as to promise Kathryn to mark in marriage. With this secure promise, mark happily waited while Kathryn mourned the loss of Justin. Within two years he had moved into the family home. It was while Kathryn was hiding in her room did she discover the advertisement for a bride. A man in Sandrock, in the Wild West was looking for a bride to share companionship. After much deliberation Kathryn replied and their relationship had blossomed. She had not told this man any of what had happened with mark or Justin. She wanted a fresh start, and a new life.  
  
Chakotay looked at the tribe in front of him. They were strong and fit. He was proud to be in command of such an agile band. In the distance he could here the train for Sandrock approach the town. He curled his lip in disgust. These white folk who came to their lands. Stole their herds and killed their families. They claimed they owned the land. Two weeks ago, a band of cowboys rode into his village and attack. Chakotay and his tribe of warriors were away, fighting another battle, one to save their cattle. The cowboys ripped apart his village, slaughtering man, woman and child. Chakotay's father had barley been alive when he returned with his warriors. He died in Chakotay's arms. Chakotay swore to his father that he would make them pay. And soon the time would come.  
  
Quentin stood nervously at the station. He was waiting for his bride. He could see that train approaching in the distance and his heart quicken. He wasn't a simple man by any means. He had studied with the best and was well versed in all the correct literary but he was not much to look at. He was tall and lanky. His body hung like a skeleton. His blonde hair only highlighted his pale complexion. Despite his appearances his was rather hoping that his future bride would be a lookers. He would show Tommy Paris that he could get a girl. That was the reason that he had placed the advertisement. Tommy had once again put him down in front of the whole tavern of people. He had escaped New York to get away from that kind of treatment he had hoped to find kindred spirit hiding in the west. But no such luck and he'd be damned if he way going to crawl back home. Thankfully he had enough money so that he didn't have to work. This new wife would be all the housemaid he would need. He hoped she was a good cook. That was one of the things he had forgotten to ask her in his correspondence, but no matter, all women were born to cook.  
  
  
  
Train now arriving at Sandrock. There will be ten minutes for you to depart from the train. Kathryn took a deep breath and stood up. Here she was. Not having got much luggage worked as an advantage for Kathryn. It meant that she could take her time getting of the train without having to worry. Graciously she allowed the other passengers to depart first she didn't want to add the growing confusion. Once the crowd had died down Kathryn got up and departed from the train. She stood for a while, the station was rather crowded and she didn't want to miss him.  
  
Quentin had watched all the passengers disembark from the train but he knew the instant that his new bride walked down. She was beautiful; her fiery red was being whipped around her face by the desert wind. She hadn't seen him yet so he decided to make the first move. Cautiously he walked to toward her. At first she seemed to look through him but when he stopped in front of her she smiled an angelic smile.  
  
"Hello. Kathryn Janeway?"  
  
"Yes, are you Quentin Smith?" He smiled, she had an unusual voice, and it was husky and very sexy. Immediately he became intimidated. He wasn't sure what to do and by the looks of it neither did she. He supposed he should take her back home.  
  
"Would you like to see your new home?" Kathryn seemed to be relieved. He had completely forgotten that she wasn't used to the Wild West climate. "We wouldn't want that pale skin to burn."  
  
"No you're right. It would be nice to but my bag down." Quentin smiled. She was going to be perfect he couldn't wait to show Tom. In fact there was no time like the present.  
  
"Actually Kathryn, how would you like to meet some of your new neighbours, there's a saloon in town where everyone usually congregates?" Kathryn smiled.  
  
"Sure." Quentin was very pleased, so far so good.  
  
"Well let's go then, have you got all your luggage?" At Kathryn's nod he picked up her case and walked towards the Saloon, Kathryn followed soberly behind.  
  
She was not impressed. This man was nothing like she had expected. For one his looks were just like Mark. Kathryn berated herself. She shouldn't be so shallow. Sp far he had been a perfect gentlemen. He was carrying her bag, and he had offered to introduce her to the locals. So why couldn't she shake the feeling that he wasn't exactly how he seemed? As they walked into the bar a feeling of unease washed over her. A deadly silence greeted them. All eyes were focused on her. She felt very uncomfortable. A young man with blonde hair walked forward. He had a very menacing look and Kathryn wasn't sure what he was about to do. What she wasn't expecting was for him to break into laughter.  
  
"Well well Q, she certainly is a looker. This must be Kathryn, your very own runaway bride." He turned to Quentin and clapped him on the back. "Good on ya man." Kathryn watched as Quentin beamed back at him. He had a look of pure self-contentment and Kathryn was sure she had made the biggest mistake of her life coming here. She could now see that all he wanted was someone to get one up on this man. He turned to her and reached out his hand. "Hello there honey, my name is Tom Paris local bar owner and sex god." Kathryn was disgusted, this was her neighbour, but she figured that she was here for a while, probably her whole life she didn't have much choice. She clasped his handing expecting him to shake it but instead he raised it to his lips and kissed it. She smiled indulgently at him. This was going to be hell.  
  
Chakotay and his tribe watched from above a hill as the train departed and the people went about their business. He had decided that to avenge his father he would do what the white folk did to him, only he wouldn't kill anyone. He would let them live with what it was like to have your entire world ripped from them. He was raid their village, take their food, supplies and any thing else that caught their fancy. He knew his men couldn't wait to start and neither could he.  
  
"We ride now. Make no bloodshed, take what you want. This is for our families, our friends. VENGEANCE!" Together the tribe road into the small town. The white folk screamed, the men fumbled with their metal weapons and his tribe yelped with delight. Chakotay dismounted his horse and flanked by others of his tribe they strode into the town's saloon; inside he could see the trashy working girls and their boozy men. He looked around; his men marched around beating any man in their paths. They jumped the bar and smashed the bottles. Chakotay's eyes swept across the room. He was looking for something; it was then that he spotted a woman. She looked unlike any of the other women she was what he was looking for. A man, a coward was crouching down behind her. Perhaps her husband. She was trying to comfort him. Chakotay strode towards her. She hadn't noticed him he reached down and grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to her feet. She didn't scream as he expected instead she fixed him with a look of disdain. Chakotay knew that she was going to be difficult so he did what his instincts told him, he knocked her out. The force of the blow made her fall to the floor. Chakotay bent down and hoisted her over his shoulders, with one last glance he look at he cowering man. He was cowering with his eyes closed, his hands shaking in front of his face. Chakotay curled his lips in disgust and walked out of the bar. His men followed. He jumped on is horse, the woman thrown over the saddle. He kicked his horse and the tribe rode out of the town leaving it in shatters, burning.  
  
  
  
Kathryn was sitting in some kind of hut the last thing she remembered was looking at that Indian man then she woke up tied to a post. She had tried to free her arms and waist but to no avail she was truly stuck. This really had become the worst idea she had ever had. She had no idea what had happened to Quentin and if she was really honest with herself she didn't care all that much. He had really made a very bad impression on her. Fancy advertising for a bride just to get one up on the town local heartthrob. But she shouldn't be thinking about that now, she should be thinking of a way to escape. First things first, find a way to get out of these bindings.  
  
Chakotay watched the woman. So far she hadn't noticed him. He was sitting at side of the hut in the dark, just watching. She really was an intriguing creature. When she had woken up he had expected hysterics, tears anything but a calm and determined look. She had tried to remove the bonds without success, after a moment's pause she had tried again. Her hair was falling out of its rigid bun. Her neat clothing was tousled and dirt smears covered the skirt. Her pale clear face had smudges of dust but Chakotay swore he had never seen such a beautiful being. She looked unlike any of the other white people that he had seen. He believed that he had made a good choice on his trophy. She would be a fine ornament. He decided that he had had enough of watching and stood up.  
  
Kathryn jerked her head up. She had no idea that someone else was in the room with her. It was that big Indian man. Kathryn felt her heat beat in her chest. What did he want with her, she could only imagine. Her eyes were becoming blurry and her head felt like a ten-ton weight had been dropped there. She was having trouble focusing on the man advancing towards her. The last thing she saw was a large hand reaching for her face.  
  
Chakotay jerked his hand back as the woman's eyes rolled back into her head and she relaxed against the pole. He guessed that she had passed out. The force of his blow must have been stringer then he intended. Chakotay walked out of his hut and into one close by. With a flick of his hand a woman came towards him.  
  
"Woman in that hut, she's hurt. Want her awake. Fix her." With a nod the woman walked in Chakotays hut. He in turn turned and walked to a small group of men congregated around a wagon full of food. 


End file.
